Going Commercial

It’s time for a break—is a line that catapults us into the world of advertising. While some stories remain with us, others fade into oblivion. Some advertisements have characters that we see in the people around us, while many are lost
in the crowd. Some songs we hum long after they go off air, and others barely register.

Whether we grumble or complain, advertising is a necessary aspect of life today, where branding defines, well, almost everything. Ten, 20 or 30-second commercials grow on us with each repeated viewing, willing us to remember the brand,
the nuances, the jingle and the emotion it inspires.

The final cut may be reduced to a few seconds of images, but behind the glamour, ad filmmaking involves long hours of ideation and discussion. It’s a platform where ideas and perspectives culminate into a harmonious entity, where the
challenge lies in creating a memory that is cherished long afterwards. It is this challenge that ad filmmakers in the city thrive on.

JJ's Media Park &dash; Joseph D. Sami, Jerald Arokiam

Statistics and numbers defined their education, till their passion caught up with them. JD-Jery, short for Joseph D. Sami and Jerald Arokiam, decided to give their fervour for cinema a chance, and after three years of assisting
legendary filmmaker, Balu Mahendra, they branched off on their own.

“From 1991-95, we directed several telefilms for DD, and in ’98, made our first film, Ullasam, produced by Amitabh Bachchan,” says Sami. Two more films later, in 2003, the world of ad filmmaking made its entry. “It was ad filmmaking
that eventually gave us our identity. It was a satisfying break, we got immediate results and it was financially viable too,” says Arokiam.

A hundred and fifty seven ads later, all of which have been written by them, including the lyrics for the jingles, JD Jery believe their USP is that they are a one-stop production house. “We look after everything, from the concept to the
final production, as 80 per cent of our clients are direct clients,” says Arokiam. Besides ads for Saravana Stores and its jewellery showroom, Shakthi Masala, Chennai Silks, Jainsons and Jeyachandran Textiles, the duo have made
documentary films as well. “Since we know each other since ’81, and our wavelengths match, we have never really had an issue making films together. We discuss the concept and direct the film together,” says Sami.

Jewellery and textile, both for the showroom or specific launch campaigns, have proved to be their ticket to success. “Our clients are happy with the concepts we give them and most have been with us for a long time. We however, do hope
to work with agencies as well in the future,” say the duo.

Rajiv Menon Productions &dash; Rajiv Menon

‘Warm and whimsical’ is how Rajiv Menon describes his work. Ad filmmaker, ace cinematographer and director, Menon is probably one of the few ad filmmakers who made a successful transition into feature films, while continuing to keep his penchant and passion for ad films alive. “My passion is filmmaking, while my vocation is ad filmmaking. The allure of ad filmmaking is that it compels you to remain a student all the time, as you have to constantly think and innovate,” he says.

With his first ad, Amrutanjun’s ‘It’s gone’ commercial, Menon has been making ad films for the last 20 years. Ads for brands like Bru, Parachute, Asian Paints, Cadbury’s, Raymonds, Canara Bank and ICICI Bank, are all part of his growing repertoire. “Over the years, a lot has changed—the visual design, style, sets and lighting.”

He usually only directs the ad films, but sometimes, while narrating the film, he visualises the lighting design as well. “It’s not easy to break into the national market and maintain your position there. I have paid the price for it by not making a feature film in the last seven years,” he says.

With his first ad, Amrutanjun’s ‘It’s gone’ commercial, Menon has been making ad films for the last 20 years. Ads for brands like Bru, Parachute, Asian Paints, Cadbury’s, Raymonds, Canara Bank and ICICI Bank, are all part of his growing repertoire. “Over the years, a lot has changed—the visual design, style, sets and lighting.”

He usually only directs the ad films, but sometimes, while narrating the film, he visualises the lighting design as well. “It’s not easy to break into the national market and maintain your position there. I have paid the price for it by not making a feature film in the last seven years,” he says.

Primary Colours &dash; Roshni Chandran

It was a week-long seminar on women and media that opened up a new world for this student of mathematics. “I was studying in Vellore, when this seminar gave me a completely new perspective on filmmaking. Till then, I was not aware of the different elements that go into it,” says Roshni Chandran.

That was in 1993. Today, Chandran is a name to reckon with in the arena of ad filmmaking. After having assisted Lata Menon, and later, Rajiv Menon, Chandran set up Primary Colours in 2000, along with her cinematographer husband, Baskar.

“I got my first break with a Witco ad. Since then I have worked on RMKV, Aircel, Navaratna oil, Kinley and Fanta, to name a few. I’m usually approached with scripts based in south India, especially for national brands that look for regional ads,” she says.

With her strong point being the dialogues in her films, Chandran says, “I make my characters interesting and lifelike. I make sure the language they speak is identifiable with the audience.”

JS Films &dash; Jayendra Panchapakesan, P.C. Sreeram

After eight years in advertising, when he worked as a writer in the creative department, Jayendra Panchapakesan decided to set up JS Films, with his long-time friend, national award-winning cinematographer, P.C. Sreeram.

“In 1986, ad filmmaking in Chennai was relatively unknown. That’s when JS films came into being and we began making several commercials, both nationally and regionally,” says Panchapakesan. He directs the commercials, while friend and partner Sreeram handles the camera.

Starting with their first national ad for Taj tea and tea bags, JS went on to make ads for Rasna, Johnson & Johnson, Onida, Maggi, BSA SLR, to Preethi Mixie, Pepsodent, Bajaj Saffire and more. “In fact, from 1986 to 1992, all the Rasna commercials were made by us,” says the duo.

With 22 years of experience backing them up, they have always worked to make the brand even more successful. “We still have clients who go back 10 to 15 years. For instance, when Preethi Mixie came to us around 12 years back, it was an unknown brand. Today, it is the country’s best brand, that has practically been built by TV commercials,” says Sreeram.

Initially, it was lack of infrastructure that was the duo’s biggest hurdle. “When we began, the industry had no idea about advertisements; they were just known as ‘bit films’. So we were continuously pushing technology to achieve the perfection we wanted,” says Panchapakesan.

JS makes films for NGOs and the causes it believes in, totally free of cost. “We support credible and social organisations and make films that assist them in raising funds,” explains Panchapakesan. The duo, unlike other ad agencies, doesn’t believe in sending its films for awards. “As a result, our most memorable experience was when our BPL ‘Home Alone’ ad was voted the ‘most popular viewer’s choice’ ad, for two consecutive years,” says Panchapakesan.

Iris Productions &dash; Lata Menon

For Lata Menon, a student of mass communication from Sophia, Mumbai, filmmaking was a passion. It found an outlet through her company Iris Productions, which she started in 1996, after the birth of her first child. “I was heading the graphics division at Prasad Video, when I got married to Rajiv Menon in 1993,” says Lata.

The husband-wife duo may both be ad filmmakers and have two production houses with different working styles, but their offices are located in the same space. “We have individual clients, and Rajiv and I share a healthy equation. Our office is like an open house, where there are no secrets,” she says.

With her first regional ad for Bru, and then her national campaign for Fiesta condoms, Menon today has close to 100 ads in her kitty. “I came at a time when regional advertising was gaining more importance, so the opportunity was just right. It was the beginning of the endorsements culture,” she says.

The regional ad for Fanta with Simran for instance, was one of Menon’s most popular ads. “My initial years were tough, and once you make a mark for yourself, you need to maintain that standard. The biggest challenge is to recreate a different magic for the same brand. You need to constantly think of new ideas, especially today when we are living in an instant world,” she says.

Apart from working with brands like Britannia, Parle G, Odyssey, Spinz, Tata Indicom and Sharon Plywood, Menon has worked on documentary films and a music video called Valparai Vataparai with Shubha Mudgal. “Ad filmmaking teaches you simplicity, how to be brief and communicate well. I think the strength of my films lies in their pace, sensitivity and vibrancy,” says Menon who soon plans to direct a feature film.